Overdue for Justice: A Tails Between The Shelves Mystery (Tails Between The Shelves Mysteries)
By Hailey Hartley
When philanthropist Victoria Hartwell arrives at the Maplewood Public Library to donate her late husband’s prized rare book collection, head librarian Rachel Bennett expects a routine ceremony and a valuable addition to their archives. What she doesn’t expect is to find Victoria collapsed in the library parking lot the very next morning, moments after discovering that the crown jewel of the donation—a priceless Mark Twain first edition—has vanished from the library’s vault. While the police initially suspect a tragic medical emergency, Rachel and her clumsy golden retriever puppy Baxter soon uncover evidence of something far more sinister. Victoria’s dying words hint at forgery and betrayal, and when the library’s trusted janitor is found poisoned in the basement, Rachel realizes that someone is willing to kill to keep their secrets buried.
As Rachel digs deeper into the shadowy world of rare book collecting, she discovers a web of forgeries, fraud, and dangerous deceptions that stretches back decades. With help from her assistant librarian Owen and longtime volunteer Judith, Rachel must untangle a conspiracy involving authentication certificates, embezzled funds, and ruthless criminals who see murder as just another business expense. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her investigation becomes, and threatening texts make it clear that she could be the next target. When suspects start pointing fingers at each other and the evidence seems to implicate everyone with access to the library’s vault, Rachel must use all her skills of research and deduction to separate truth from lies.
In this compelling cozy mystery, Rachel discovers that the rare book world is far more cutthroat than she ever imagined, and that some collectors will do anything to protect their reputations and their profits. With Baxter’s limited but crucial assistance in finding key evidence, a race against time as the killer tries to flee the country, and a climactic sting operation that puts everything on the line, Rachel learns that sometimes the most valuable thing in any collection is the truth. Perfect for fans of bibliophile mysteries and classic whodunits, “Overdue for Justice” proves that you should never underestimate a determined librarian with a nose for investigation and a puppy who knows exactly where to dig.
When philanthropist Victoria Hartwell arrives at the Maplewood Public Library to donate her late husband’s prized rare book collection, head librarian Rachel Bennett expects a routine ceremony and a valuable addition to their archives. What she doesn’t expect is to find Victoria collapsed in the library parking lot the very next morning, moments after discovering that the crown jewel of the donation—a priceless Mark Twain first edition—has vanished from the library’s vault. While the police initially suspect a tragic medical emergency, Rachel and her clumsy golden retriever puppy Baxter soon uncover evidence of something far more sinister. Victoria’s dying words hint at forgery and betrayal, and when the library’s trusted janitor is found poisoned in the basement, Rachel realizes that someone is willing to kill to keep their secrets buried.
As Rachel digs deeper into the shadowy world of rare book collecting, she discovers a web of forgeries, fraud, and dangerous deceptions that stretches back decades. With help from her assistant librarian Owen and longtime volunteer Judith, Rachel must untangle a conspiracy involving authentication certificates, embezzled funds, and ruthless criminals who see murder as just another business expense. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her investigation becomes, and threatening texts make it clear that she could be the next target. When suspects start pointing fingers at each other and the evidence seems to implicate everyone with access to the library’s vault, Rachel must use all her skills of research and deduction to separate truth from lies.
In this compelling cozy mystery, Rachel discovers that the rare book world is far more cutthroat than she ever imagined, and that some collectors will do anything to protect their reputations and their profits. With Baxter’s limited but crucial assistance in finding key evidence, a race against time as the killer tries to flee the country, and a climactic sting operation that puts everything on the line, Rachel learns that sometimes the most valuable thing in any collection is the truth. Perfect for fans of bibliophile mysteries and classic whodunits, “Overdue for Justice” proves that you should never underestimate a determined librarian with a nose for investigation and a puppy who knows exactly where to dig.